SC All-Star Bowl set to kickoff on Saturday

Published: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 7:24 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 7:24 p.m.

GREENVILLE — It will be a last chance to make a first impression for players lacking a high profile at the culmination of their collegiate football careers during Saturday's inaugural South Carolina College All-Star Bowl.

Facts

S.C. College All-Star Bowl

When: 3 p.m. SaturdayWhere: North Greenville University.Who: Upstate vs. Low Country with players from the state or who played for an in-state college.Tickets: General admission is $15 while VIP tickets are $150 and include reserved VIP seating and parking, sideline access, food and beverage and entry to the after party at Fluor Field featuring the band Blue Dogs. Children 10 and under are admitted free to the game. Go to the website www.sccollegeallstarbowl.com to purchase and for further info.

North Greenville University will host the 3 p.m. event with the Upstate vs. the Low Country featuring players who have exhausted their college eligibility and either come from the state or played for an in-state program.

The game is the brainchild of Greenville attorney David Wyatt who was able to bring aboard several well-known names like game commissioner Sam Wyche (former NFL head coach) and head coaches Danny Ford (Clemson national title winner who will lead the Upstate) and Willie Jeffries (S.C. State legend and College Football Hall of Famer).

Assistant coaches include former Clemson stars Brian Dawkins, Woody Dantzler, Nick Eason and Patrick Sapp while former Spartanburg head coach Freddie Brown will serve as the Low Country defensive coordinator. Former South Carolina Heisman winner George Rogers will address the teams regarding life lessons during a meeting today.

“It's great exposure for those players that haven't gotten more of it nationally,” Wyche said. “Who knows how many that will play in this game that will end up in the NFL that might not have been if not for this look. It's a last chance for some last impressions and some first impressions before the draft.”

Former Clemson players Jon Richt and Corico Hawkins and former Gamecocks Seth Strickland and Jared Shaw are the lone representatives from the two major colleges. The teams will practice for two days and the game will feature only basic offense and defenses with Wyche joking if he'd been one of the coaches he'd be kicked out for scheming.

One special caveat for the players is a Breitling watch worth roughly $3,000 being award to both the offensive and defensive MVPs.

“It gives these players another chance with some of these guys fighting to be free agents or seventh or sixth-rounders,” Jeffries said. “We're giving them another chance to show it and these guys are going to get after it because they are trying to get into the (NFL).”

Dawkins, a long-time NFL star now living in Denver, said he enjoys being able to work with young people both on and off the field.

“The main thing is to give these guys a chance to come out and show what they can do,” Dawkins said. “To show what type of talent is here in South Carolina and hopefully this thing will grow to a point where you have so many guys wanting to play in this game where you have to turn people down.”

<p>GREENVILLE — It will be a last chance to make a first impression for players lacking a high profile at the culmination of their collegiate football careers during Saturday's inaugural South Carolina College All-Star Bowl.</p><p>North Greenville University will host the 3 p.m. event with the Upstate vs. the Low Country featuring players who have exhausted their college eligibility and either come from the state or played for an in-state program.</p><p>The game is the brainchild of Greenville attorney David Wyatt who was able to bring aboard several well-known names like game commissioner Sam Wyche (former NFL head coach) and head coaches Danny Ford (Clemson national title winner who will lead the Upstate) and Willie Jeffries (S.C. State legend and College Football Hall of Famer).</p><p>Assistant coaches include former Clemson stars Brian Dawkins, Woody Dantzler, Nick Eason and Patrick Sapp while former Spartanburg head coach Freddie Brown will serve as the Low Country defensive coordinator. Former South Carolina Heisman winner George Rogers will address the teams regarding life lessons during a meeting today.</p><p>“It's great exposure for those players that haven't gotten more of it nationally,” Wyche said. “Who knows how many that will play in this game that will end up in the NFL that might not have been if not for this look. It's a last chance for some last impressions and some first impressions before the draft.”</p><p>Former Clemson players Jon Richt and Corico Hawkins and former Gamecocks Seth Strickland and Jared Shaw are the lone representatives from the two major colleges. The teams will practice for two days and the game will feature only basic offense and defenses with Wyche joking if he'd been one of the coaches he'd be kicked out for scheming.</p><p>One special caveat for the players is a Breitling watch worth roughly $3,000 being award to both the offensive and defensive MVPs.</p><p>“It gives these players another chance with some of these guys fighting to be free agents or seventh or sixth-rounders,” Jeffries said. “We're giving them another chance to show it and these guys are going to get after it because they are trying to get into the (NFL).”</p><p>Dawkins, a long-time NFL star now living in Denver, said he enjoys being able to work with young people both on and off the field.</p><p>“The main thing is to give these guys a chance to come out and show what they can do,” Dawkins said. “To show what type of talent is here in South Carolina and hopefully this thing will grow to a point where you have so many guys wanting to play in this game where you have to turn people down.”</p>